TheCable

Senegalese troops have been seen moving towards the Gambian border in a show of force to pressure President Yahya Jammeh to stand down, according to BBC.

Senegal gave Jammeh a midnight GMT deadline to quit and Nigeria has sent an air force contingent to Senegal in support of the possible intervention.

Wednesday was meant to be Jammeh’s last day in office but parliament extended his tenure by three months.

This stops the inauguration of President-elect Adama Barrow, who is currently in Senegal.

Thousands have fled Gambia because of the political crisis.

The African Union (AU) says it will cease to recognise Jammeh from Thursday, while ECOWAS has vowed to remove him from office.

On Tuesday, Nigeria’s newest warship, the NNS Unity, sailed towards Gambia, while fighter jets and troops also headed to Senegal ahead of possible military intervention.

The Gambia’s tiny army is no match for the regional powers. In recent years, Jammeh has been promoting his loyalists, including army chief Ousman Badjie, to ranks beyond their competence.

This has further downgraded its military capabilities.